Aquino, speaking to the Associated Press, claimed that the group had also planned to kill him and explode bombs in metropolitan Manila in an attempt to get funding from Islamic State.

He also stated that the plans were uncovered and troops have reduced Abu Sayyaf’s ability to inflict harm.

“They allegedly even hatched plots to kidnap [Pacquiao] or one of his children, as well as my sister Kris or one of her children, with the plan to use them in bargaining for the release of their cohorts,” he said.

Pacquiao, perhaps the most famous Filipino on the planet, retired from boxing after outpointing Timothy Bradley on April 9. He is running for one of 12 senate seats in the Philippines’ national elections on May 9.